The trailer for The Woman King has arrived, and we have all the details surrounding the film and the film’s possible Oscar prospects below.

The Woman King is the true story of Agojie, the all-female unit which protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s. The story follows the journey of General Nanisca (Oscar winner Viola Davis), who recruited and trained the next generation to battle the enemy determined to destroy their way of life.

Cast + Crew

Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood
Written by Gina Prince-Bythewood and Dan Stevens
Starring Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Thuso Mbedu, Sheila Atim and John Boyega

Oscar Prospects

Cinematography
Costume Design
Hair/Makeup
Lead Actress
Original Screenplay
Original Score
Sound

In a recent interview, Viola Davis described her role in The Woman King as her magnum opus:

I’ve never had a role like this before. It’s transformative. And to be a producer on it, and to know that I had a hand in bringing it to fruition…. There’s always a vision you have for your career, but there are very few roles as an actress of color. Dark skin with a wide nose and big lips. I’m just gonna continue to say it. Those stories are extraordinarily limited.

Any Oscar prediction piece you look at right now, Viola Davis is on Best Actress list after Best Actress list. It is hard to bet against the four-time Oscar-nominee. After watching the trailer, she vaulted to the top-tier of my predictions.

The two things outside of Davis that stand out in the trailer are the Costumes and the Hair/Makeup. Gersha Phillips’ costumes look impeccably detailed and immediately stand out in the trailer.

The film’s score was done by two-time Oscar nominee Terence Blanchard. Blanchard’s record speaks for himself and that alone means he should be in the mix with early predictions.

Overall, the film has a few things going against it. First, it is coming out really early (September 16), and the film has only a few Academy veterans pieces, we could be looking at a lone potential nomination for Davis, but in a crowded space, we might not even see that. The film’s Oscar chances will rest solely on whether the film is well received or not.